Were you injured at work? Perhaps a co-worker was acting recklessly or your employer failed to regulate safety protocols, either of which has caused you to suffer a medical condition that’s preventing you from working – at least until you’ve healed. As a result of your workplace injuries, you have the right to file for workers’ compensation for benefits.
You should be prepared, however, if your workers’ compensation claim is denied. This could cause you to lose out on crucial benefits, such as paid lost wages and medical coverage. Understanding how and why your workers’ comp claim can be denied might help you prevent it from becoming a reality. Here’s what can cause a denial:
1. Your injury didn’t happen at work
This likely isn’t a problem for you, but a claim can be denied if your injury happened outside of work hours. For example, if you’re driving home from work and suffered a car accident, then you likely won’t get your benefits, unless you were still driving for work or running errands for the boss.
2. You failed to report your injuries
However, the above also applied to the next cause of a workers’ comp denial. If you don’t report your injuries to your employer, then you can’t proceed with a claim. In addition, if you don’t report your injuries immediately, say if you waited a day, then you may have a hard time proving that your injuries were sustained on the job or at home.
3. You didn’t seek medical evaluation
It’s also important to seek medical attention after suffering from a workplace injury. By having a medical report, you can show that your injuries have greatly harmed you and may be preventing you from working.
If you’re filing for a workers’ comp claim, then you should be aware of your legal rights to ensure you get the benefits you need.